Wishlist
Joanne Ricardo′s Wishlist
1658 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006, USA
Set inside a 1920s renovated church, Mark's was voted as Houston's Most Romantic Restaurant. As beautiful as the ambiance is, with its hand-painted deco walls and golden ceiling, it is surpassed only by the food. Chef and owner Mark Cox prepares a...
3939 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006, USA
With the philosophy of 'what's made close to home is better for you,' Settlement Goods & Design is a boutique that specializes in American brands and designers, with a highly curated selection of products from designers around the U.S.
425 Sawdust Rd a, Spring, TX 77380, USA
Easily the best BBQ I have found in Houston. The owners smoke daily and serve until they sell out in the early afternoon. At its worst the line is 1 hour long but generally around 20 minutes. Their pulled pork and ribs are unbelievable, but...
103 Midway St, Spring, TX 77373, USA
Apparently, the chicken fried steak and the chocolate whiskey cake at the 100-year-old Wunsche Brothers Cafe and Saloon are good enough to make the original owner, Charlie Wunsche, come back and putter around the kitchen in pride. There’s...
220 Main St, Houston, TX 77002, USA
Originally the Union National Bank Building—built in 1911—the 12-floor landmark in downtown Houston debuted as Hotel Icon in 2004 after a $35 million makeover. The historic structure beautifully maintains its neoclassical architecture...
1835 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77005, USA
Move over, Willy Wonka—there’s another candy shop that’s making everyone’s sweet tooth tingle. The smell of chocolate wafts through the store, greeting you as soon as you walk in the door. Once inside, you’ll find...
501 Texas St, Houston, TX 77002, USA
The Wortham Center will remain closed until September 2018 while it recovers from Hurricane Harvey flood damage.
Wortham Center is home to the Houston Ballet and the Houston Grand Opera, the only opera company in the country to win Tony,...
Wortham Center is home to the Houston Ballet and the Houston Grand Opera, the only opera company in the country to win Tony,...
5216 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006, USA
The CAMH, whose exhibits are always compelling and sometimes disturbing, fun, interesting, or emotional, is the only Texas museum dedicated solely to exhibiting and interpreting contemporary art. And the gift shop has the coolest toys, bags,...
1201 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006, USA
Houston is not only known for its incredible food—more specifically, it's known for its Tex-Mex. El Real's Perfect Margarita was recently named one of the ten best margaritas in Texas by Texas Monthly. It starts with a piece of paper and a golf...
1801 Yale St, Houston, TX 77008, USA
Open daily from 9 a.m. until late in the evening, Down House is known for its brunch, extensive drink and cocktail menu, and otherwise great food and atmosphere. On Tuesdays, all classic cocktails are $3 off, and on Mondays, all wines by the...
2520 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006, USA
My good friend, who is originally from Houston, told me of the high-energy restaurant Niko Niko's. Being Greek, she has found some of her favorite dishes here that taste just like the way her mother made them. This place is authentic! Try their...
1423 Branard St, Houston, TX 77006, USA
This shaded park near the University of St. Thomas is right next to The Menil Collection. The park is very shaded and nestled between streets lined with classic 1920s bungalow houses. This place really captures Houston!
Waugh Dr, Houston, TX 77002, USA
Eleanor Tinsley Park in Houston is a great place to spend time outdoors. There's the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony, hiking and biking trails, and tons of green space to enjoy.
3300 Smith St, Houston, TX 77006, USA
Helmed by Chef Danny Trace, a New Orleans native whose resume includes stints at Commander's Palace and Cafe Adelaide, Brennan's is the kind of place you go to for well-executed classics: Oysters Rockefeller, Shrimp and Grits, Gulf Fish...
2580 Shearn St, Houston, TX 77007, USA
You cross multiple railroad tracks and pass through warehouse-lined streets before arriving at a parking lot field full of massive president heads. Each sitting about 20 feet tall, it is quite a sight to behold. Behind them, the Beatles, towering...
1100 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006, USA
The crafting of beers is taken quite seriously at the Hay Merchant, and for the beer enthusiast, this is a very good thing. Great attention to detail is paid to ensure the beers are served at the proper temperature, with correct pressure and gas...
2520 Airline Dr, Houston, TX 77009, USA
Behind Canino's is an open-air Hispanic market called Airline Farmers Market. While it doesn't offer hyper-local products, the brush with this part of Houston's culture makes up for it. You'll find things like fresh produce, all sorts of dried...
222 Malone St, Houston, TX 77007, USA
What started as one man’s simple hobby has turned into a Houston landmark that attracts visitors from across the country: The Beer Can House. Back in 1968, owner John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for Southern Pacific Railroad, realized...
1972 Fairview St, Houston, TX 77019, USA
Roost is an unpretentious dining experience, set inside of walls that are paneled with old shutters, and with a menu that changes every three weeks. No two visits will be fully alike, and the cuisine is inspired by local, seasonal ingredients with...
Houston, TX, USA
Celebrating “the artist in everyone,” this fantastic art space created out of folk art—and, OK, sometimes junk—proves that one person’s trash truly can be someone else’s treasure. It was created by Jefferson...
1100 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006, USA
Underbelly, still under the same management and led by the same chef, is now called Southern Smoke.
Chef Chris Shepherd has described Houston as, "the most secretive and dynamic culinary destination in the country," and he incorporates that belief...
Chef Chris Shepherd has described Houston as, "the most secretive and dynamic culinary destination in the country," and he incorporates that belief...
140 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007, USA
One of the most beloved Houston celebrations is its annual Art Car Parade, which takes places in downtown Houston every spring and showcases cars decorated in every material imaginable. Even if you can’t make it to the parade, you can still...
6 BLVD Place, 1800 Post Oak Blvd #6170, Houston, TX 77056, USA
This is a fantastic high-end restaurant near the Galleria mall, housed in an elegant, modern building with an open but warm atmosphere. Open for lunch, brunch, and dinner, RDG features a menu that is contemporary, with a great deal of...
807 Taft St, Houston, TX 77019, USA
The Pass and Provisions are two adjoining restaurants; The Pass is the more formal of the two. It's a realm of culinary experimentation that never fails. These are culinary geniuses at work. Provisions, on the other hand, is a place for families...
3939 San Felipe St, Houston, TX 77027, USA
Pronounced "wee-zee's," Ouisie's is steeped in Southern heritage, and has foods with regional, American, and ethnic influences. For nearly 20 years now, Houstonians have been enjoying dishes like crispy fried Gulf Coast oysters, parmesan-crusted...
3701 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002, USA
Top Chef alumna Monica Pope's motto, "Eat where your food lives," comes to life at Sparrow. The menu changes often to reflect the seasons and availability of local ingredients. Pope calls the food fresh, unpretentious, and full of flavor. You bet!...
2630 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098, USA
This place is a fixture among the River Oaks crowd—great food and some of the best frozen margaritas of all time. Trying the refried beans is a must, and they have great ceviche as well. Note that as Thursday night progresses, the...
I was born and raised in Houston and yet, despite The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo being one of Houston's few truly iconic events, I only went for the first time in my life a couple of years ago. It's definitely a sight to behold. I am not...
1435 Beall St, Houston, TX 77008, USA
As strange as it sounds, about 700 Houstonians of all ages meet on Thursday evenings to play bingo at a Czech Farmers Insurance Lodge. People actually start lining up just after 4 p.m. for a 7 p.m. start time! What makes this place so appealing to...
3601, 3601, 2009 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019, USA
Built in 1939, this is Houston's oldest continually operating movie theater, showing lots of independent and foreign films, as well as monthly midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Room. Try to get tickets for a showing in the...
8 Mile Rd, Galveston, TX 77554, USA
For a less crowded piece of the Galveston coast, go to a quiet stretch of coast favored by the locals during high season at the end of 8 Mile Road. To get there, take Seawall Blvd west until the seawall ends and it turns into Termini San Luis Pass...
3828 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
This classic Galveston seafood restaurant has been open since 1911! Gaido's serves fresh Gulf seafood in a traditional atmosphere. Menu highlights include the bisque, snapper, and pecan pie. Photo via Gaido's Seafood Restaurant Facebook page
2300 Ship Mechanic Row St, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
The Tremont House is a very comfortable place to stay if you decide to spend a night on Galveston Island. It's on the eastern side on the strand right by all the fun. Be sure to grab a drink on the rooftop bar for great views of the harbor. Photo...
2218 Postoffice St, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
At Tangerine Boutique in Galveston, owned by surfer girl Kim Cherryhomes, you'll find designers like Chan Luu and Heidi Merrick. Stop in and walk out with some Gulf coast fashions. Photo via Tangerine Boutique Facebook page
2022 Postoffice St, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
O'Malley's is a local Galveston dive with drinks, pub fare, pool, darts, music and totally doable pricing. Look for a seven-foot water mark left behind by Hurricane Ike on the wall near the front entrance. Also look for pictures of pin-up models...
2202 Mechanic St, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
You can find all sorts of shipyard treasures at Nautical Antiques in Galveston. They have ship lanterns, wheels, flags, glass floats, and figureheads—plenty to choose from for a cool souvenir to represent your time on the Texas coast. Photo via...
1 Hope Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554, USA
The Moody Gardens resort has two indoor "pyramids" that make a great escape on a rainy day in Galveston. One simulates a rainforest environment and the other is filled with aquatic creatures. You can also spend the night at the Moody Gardens Hotel...
1206 19th St, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
Sonny's has been open since 1944, making it the second oldest continuously operating eatery on Galveston Island. Hit it on a Friday gumbo night if you can, which comes in your choice of shrimp, crawfish, or both. Sonny's may seem like a...
You'll hear people talk about doing things "on the Strand" in Galveston, which refers to a downtown historic district primarily situated on Strand Street. Begin exploring the area at 25th and Strand, visiting its shops, restaurants, galleries, and...
215 Kipp Ave, Kemah, TX 77565, USA
Kemah Boardwalk is a great day trip from Houston for groups and families. It takes about 45 minutes (20 miles) to drive there from downtown. You'll find amusement park-style entertainment, lots of restaurants and shops, and a seaside resort. It's...
1402 5th St, Seabrook, TX 77586, USA
Many travel to Kemah for chain restaurants and boring boardwalk entertainment. But across the Kemah bridge in Seabrook is a charming house-turned-restaurant/local art gallery serving delicious liege waffles. Choose from savory, sweet or even...
300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205, USA
You haven’t truly experienced Texas until you’ve visited the hallowed grounds of the Alamo. Established in 1718 as the Mission San Antonio de Valero, the building is best known as the site of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, a 13-day...
303 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX 78215, USA
Pearl was founded in 1881 as a traditional brewery. These days, however, the bustling complex is less about beer than its 15 restaurants, dozen-plus retailers, and numerous family-friendly events, including a twice-weekly farmers’ market....
1015 Navarro St, San Antonio, TX 78205, USA
The roots of this Mediterranean Revival-style boutique hotel go back to 1914, when a local grocer created the tropically inspired property to house his visiting vendors. Nearly a century later in 2010, hotelier and style guru Liz Lambert added the...
403 E Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78205, USA
It's warm, not crowded and the perfect time to go
26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266, USA
Just north of—and a little below—San Antonio are the Natural Bridge Caverns, whose miles of underground passages can be explored in a variety of tours. Lantern tours offer eerie illuminations of the stones, while "Adventure Tours" require...
514 W Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78207, USA
No visit to San Antonio is complete without spending at least a few hours in Market Square, a sprawling indoor mall that’s among the largest of its kind outside of Mexico. Stroll past wares ranging from piñatas and pottery to...
400 E Josephine St, San Antonio, TX 78215, USA
Every city has those places that have always been there—they're authentic, full of character, and always unique—well Josephine Street Cafe is one of them. Since its opening in 1979, the restaurant has been busy cooking excellent dishes. The...
423 W Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA
Montage is a hip, and highly curated collection of vintage men's and women's clothing, jewelry, and accessories, focused on the 1940's through the 1990's. The jewelry is particularly worthy of note, as much of their collection is made from broken...
200 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704, USA
It might be a part of the Colorado River—a man-made reservoir carved out of the river in 1960—but everyone calls the body of water bisecting Austin Lady Bird Lake. On hot summer days, scores of walkers and joggers move...
106 City Park Rd, Boerne, TX 78006, USA
A short drive northwest of San Antonio sits Boerne, where the City Lake Park has the relaxed feel you’d expect from a small Hill Country town—but because this is Texas, "small" is not quite as it seems. Along with kayaking, paddle boarding, and a...
127 Sherwood Dr, Canyon Lake, TX 78133, USA
Forty miles north of San Antonio, Canyon Lake boasts a surface area of more than 8,200 acres, and 80 miles of shoreline. Despite the extensive size, though, it remains a well-kept secret, popular mainly with those who have second homes nearby. The...
7696 Hwy 255, Jasper, TX 75951, USA
Located north of the East Texas town of Jasper, in the heart of the Piney Woods, the vast Sam Rayburn Reservoir extends for more than 110,000 acres of surface water. Activities include swimming (most of the parks have beaches), boating, trail...
301 Fm 2025 Rd, Coldspring, TX 77331, USA
On the eastern side of Sam Houston National Forest (one of four national forests in Texas) sits the jewel-like Double Lake, which feels worlds away from civilization (though Houston's only about an hour’s drive.) Planned and built by the...
300 State Park Rd 65, Livingston, TX 77351, USA
Drive about an hour north of Houston to find Lake Livingston State Park—which, with about 90,000 acres of surface water, is one of the state's largest. In addition to expected pursuits like swimming and boating, the lake is celebrated for its...
229 Park Rd 63, Wichita Falls, TX 76310, USA
Just 14 miles southeast of Wichita Falls, Lake Arrowhead State Park contains a reservoir lake with more than 16,000 surface acres of water and 100 miles of shoreline. Though far from the lush forests of east and southeast Texas, this state park...
3901 St Park Rd 33, Caddo, TX 76429, USA
The 20,000 acres of Possum Kingdom Lake make up the heart of Possum Kingdom State Park, located in the semi-arid canyon country formed by the Palo Pinto Mountains and the Brazos River Valley. Built as a reservoir in the late 1930’s by the Works...
9685 US-90, Del Rio, TX 78840, USA
You might be surprised to find one of the largest reservoir lakes in the state here. The lake was formed as a result of the Amstad Dam, an international cooperative project completed in 1969. With an astounding 547 miles of shoreline (on the Texas...
Kaihalulu Beach, Hana, HI 96713, USA
This was the end of the Hana Highway in Maui. Our guidebook told of a red sand beach, but it specifically left out information on how to get there, in an effort to keep people from spoiling it. Before our trip, I printed out some instructions from...
2531 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Natural Bridges State Beach is a great place to unwind near the bohemian surfer town of Santa Cruz.
Gibson Rd, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA
Every once in a while, the sun shines bright in San Francisco and every city residents flocks to the nearest park or beach to soak up the sun and day drink. Baker Beach, in the confines of SF, seems worlds away from city life. The view of the...
45500 CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920, USA
One of my favorite campgrounds in Big Sur is the big open meadow at Andrew Molera State Park. It's great for large groups and it's one of the best bases for hiking and surfing in the area. More than 20 miles of trails run throughout the park's...
34600 Gary St, Nehalem, OR 97131, USA
Nehalem Bay State Park boasts 5 undeveloped and uninterrupted miles of sandy beach. Even when the adjacent campgrounds are full, you may just have a stretch of personal space the size of a football field. Just book your stay well in advance--as...
119 Beach St, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944, USA
Boston boasts some of the best beaches around, many within easy reach. Singing Beach can be reached by MBTA and others within an hours drive are well worth the effort. Some are calm, with lake like water and other will have waves for surfers....
6747 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, FL 33149, USA
Crandon Park’s beautiful two-mile beach on Key Biscayne is known for its pristine sand and calm waters, as well as its mangroves, coastal dunes, and sea grass beds. There’s also an amusement center as well as a nature center where you can see...
Goose Rocks Beach, Maine 04046, USA
A great find in Southern Maine, a beautiful five mile beach with spectacular views and long stretches of white sand. No place can compare to the beauty that this beach embraces that families have come to summer for many generations. A perfect day...
20063 Cabrillo Hwy S, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019, USA
San Francisco is a great starting point for a road trip. Drive north or south on the HWY 1 and you're bound to find fun towns, beautiful winding roads and gorgeous coastal scenery. This cave is about an hour drive south of San Francisco, and then...
Avon-By-The-Sea, NJ, USA
Well, my favorite beach at Washington Ave. in Avon, New Jersey is ready for the Summer of 2013. After the severe damage to our area beaches and beach towns, New Jersey is "Stronger than the Storm." On June 15th, the season will begin. Not...
Marooned thirty miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Nantucket is an island with many personalities. The month you decide to visit will greatly determine the character, mood and people you’ll encounter on island. The summer months are what most people...
Dennis, MA, USA
After some of the views I've seen on Cape Cod beaches I don't know if I would ever want to be there without access to a camera. These beaches are lively during the Summer but calm and quiet during the offeason. I could walk them for hours.
101 E Arctic Ave, Folly Beach, SC 29439, USA
Officially named the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier, this landmark extends 1,045 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, making it the second-longest pier on the East Coast. It’s also 25 feet wide, allowing ample room for walkers, fishermen,...
64 Bradley Beach Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, USA
Driessen Beach is a quiet alternative to bustling Coligny Beach on Hilton Head. It's slightly off to the side of the island, but it has a much more mellow vibe, with fewer people sunbathing and swimming, and more people enjoying active pursuits...
Rosemary Beach, FL 32413, USA
Located in South Walton—roughly in between Panama City and Destin on Florida’s scenic coastal route, 30A—Rosemary Beach’s perfect white sand and clear turquoise waters are as close to the Caribbean as Florida comes. Unless...
7 Rockaway St, Clearwater, FL 33767, USA
It’s not easy to find beachfront dining in the Tampa area, but you can nearly put your feet in the sand at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill on Clearwater Beach. The most popular item on the menu is the grouper sandwich; made fresh from the Gulf of Mexico...
2740 S Pacific St, Cannon Beach, OR 97110, USA
For those of you familiar with the iconic 1985 film, the Haystack Rocks meant the world to kids from the Goon Docks. It had always been a lifelong dream of mine to venture to the setting of the movie and find my own "treasure." The Pacific Coast...
Cape Kiwanda, Pacific City, OR 97112, USA
The Oregon Coast is always spectacular, but on warm, sunny days like this, there are not many better places to be. This photo is looking north from the top of the sand dunes at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City. Climbing these dunes in a few minutes...
Short Sand Beach, Oregon 97102, USA
California is usually the state most associated with sun-drenched beaches. But in my opinion, the Oregon coastline trumps the Golden State in terms of sheer beauty. Located 10 miles south of the more popular Cannon Beach is Oswald West State Park,...
392 La Push Rd, Forks, WA 98331, USA
You'll find the Second Beach trail head located on La Push Rd on the Quileute Indian Reservation. After a 0.7 mile hike through the Olympic National Forest you'll emerge from the trees to a nest of driftwood clustered up to where the the trail...
Sand Beach, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
Sand Beach is the only sandy beach on Mount Desert Island, which makes it really busy during the day. The best time to escape the crowds is during a moonlight night. When the beach will be mostly empty (other than the occasional ranger program)....
